AN INTERVIEW WITH MS KAUSER IZHAR
Ms Kauser Izhar is an inspiring figure of the CPS USA team. Her enthusiasm, zeal and dedication to spread the message of peace and spirituality is unmatched. Ms Stuti Malhotra interviewed her to bring her inspiring intellectual and spiritual journey to light. She lives in the USA.
Please tell us about your family background and early religious influences?
I was raised in Multan and then in Karachi, Pakistan. My family followed Barelvi Sunni tradition. We were influenced by Sufism. My father became secular as he did not agree with our family traditions, while my mother stayed attached to the tradition. She tried to influence us towards Islam. When I look back we did not have much Islam in our lives. We were only attached to rituals and cultural traditions in the name of Islam. Our practice of ritualistic Islam increased during the month of Ramadan. We also participated in some Sufi practices such as Na’at (poetry in praise of the Prophet Muhammad), Qawwali (a form of Sufi Islamic devotional singing), and Quran Khawani (collective reading of the Quran in Arabic).
I was married at the age of 19 and came to US with my husband in 1983. We continued with our traditional/cultural life in the US. I became aware of the life’s challenges and sufferings soon after I came to America and looked for spiritual guidance as I failed in dealing with life’s challenges.
When did you start looking for more answers to your challenges?
I was enchanted by the West’s liberalization, equality and feminist views, but soon learned that women were in the illusion of western “equality” and their feminist views that did not help them. They were as oppressed as I saw them in Punjabi families, but in different ways.
A typical American single mother was studying, working two jobs and also raising her kids was beyond fatigued without the help of family system. This reality brought me back to studying Islam. I started studying commentaries of the Quran by noted Islamic scholars like Maulana Maududi (d. 1979), Dr Israr Ahmed (d. 2010). I also enrolled in some courses with Dr Farhat Hashmi. Finally, I was hooked on to Javed Ahmad Ghamidi’s books Al-Meezan and Al-Bayaan and his lectures.
I was then able to understand the concept of Islam, God, rituals, practices, Dos and Don’ts of Islam. I also shed away the previous notion about the concept of being Khalifah as the purpose of my life. However, I could never establish my connection with God and I did know how to do it.
What was your earlier notion about religion?
I was brought up as a traditional Muslim. The empty rituals and cultural practices had no meaning for me. It did not address my mind and certainly did not resolve my problems. I tried old fashion ways to force myself and my children to pray, fast and study the Quran, but it backfired and they thought of religion as a burden in their lives. Also, I thought that the reason women had lower status in society was because of the verses of Quran, and men used these verses to oppress women.
I had no answer towards the life’s sufferings and certainly did not know “why bad things happen to good people”.
How were you introduced to Maulana Wahiduddin Khan?
I was part of Dr Farhat Hashmi’s study group during 2012-13. Through this group, I came across the articles of Al-Risala (Urdu version of Spirit of Islam magazine) and the book The Secret of Success. Someone also sent me selected articles from Maulana’s Urdu book Izhar-e-Deen. I did not know who was sending me these articles but I was enchanted by the wisdom of the articles and yearned to receive more. I searched and found Islam: An Introduction and The Secret of Success from Urdu Bazar in Lahore when I visited Pakistan. I saved them to read on my return flight to New York. I remember reading the books while forgetting my fever on a long flight back to America.
I was then introduced to the website www.cpsglobal.org which hosts all books and magazines of Maulana. I downloaded the books from the site and started reading. As I read the books, I was impressed by the style of the writer, contents of each topic and how deep it would go to concoct the root of the spirituality and the essence of the contents. I also learned that the writer was extremely wise and very precise. He used single page to start the topic, explain it with Quran or Hadith, then add natural phenomenon and rational reasoning to support the argument, and conclude with a profound lesson. He also used nature & scientific arguments, deeper psychology and biology of the human nature in eloquent manner to explain an idea, an experience, and used it in a form of story. He seemed to me as the master of extracting wisdom and spirituality for the readers. As I read the books, it created anticipation and yearning for me to study more material especially how he explained the discovery and understanding of God through his experiences and through his study of nature.
Kindly describe your first meeting with Maulana.
On May 2015, I picked up the phone and called CPS International, New Delhi’s number, I was connected to Rajat Malhotra. I introduced myself and explained how Maulana’s writings had changed my thinking, and had helped me connect to the Creator and explore spirituality. I asked him if the books listed on the website were available in the US or in Pakistan, or if they could be shipped to me and I would pay the shipment charges. Mr Rajat broke the good news that Khaja Kaleem Bhai, the main CPS contact in US resided in Pennsylvania, but he was touring India and other countries and expected to be back in the US in a few months.
Sometime after, Kaleem Bhai returned my call and visited me with boxes of books. I thought it was a miracle that he lived only an hour from my home in Pennsylvania. I tried to pay him for the books but he replied that he would consider the bill paid if I finished reading all these books.
He also informed me that Maulana would be visiting America in AugustSept 2015 to launch his book The Age of Peace and he was invited to talk in the US Institute of Peace in Washington DC and also at ISNA in Chicago. He would also be speaking about pursuit of peace in RIS convention in Toronto.
I planned for a two-week vacation from work and anxiously waited for the opportunity to meet my spiritual mentor who had changed my life.
I started crying when I met Maulana Sahib in Kaleem Bhai’s home in Pennsylvania. I told him about my journey of seeking and searching for God. I told him that I found God through his writings. He asked questions about my life and what was the takeaway of my learning from his books. I mentioned my learnings from his books and the Spirit of Islam magazine I had been reading. I shared how I was able to discover God through the items of gratitude, which also needed to be discovered on daily basis. And how deconditioning my mind from negativity and critical thinking in daily life helped me become spiritual and helped establish connection with God.
It was an amazing experience watching a scholar of Islam while he was engaging in discussions with everyone around us. He was lecturing on Discovery of God, Positive Thinking, Peace, Spirituality, Reality of Life, Introducing the Message of the Quran to people and how to address the mindset of the modern man. These were memorable moments of my life when we all would sit on the floor with Maulana Sahib and his team and engage in discussions. I was also impressed by the discipline, dedication, and level of knowledge and simple personalities of the members of CPS who accompanied Maulana. I felt like we were a family.
I learned that the mission of CPS under the guidance of Maulana Sahib was to introduce the peaceful message of the Quran to the people. Maulana advised me to become a dayee (one who introduces the message of the Quran to the people) when we were having discussions about my future plans. I quickly learned that Maulana was not a traditional scholar and his idea of becoming presenter of Islam came from the deeper study of the Quran and teachings of Prophet Muhammad. I also learned that Maulana had already discovered the value and role of women in spreading the message of God through his own study of Islam’s origins and history and analytical study of the life of the Prophet Muhammad. He wanted to rejuvenate the spirit of introducing the message of the Quran to the people in men and women after it was lost few centuries after the advent of Islam.
That meeting with Maulana and the CPS team convinced me that I needed to study more to teach myself in my new role of dayee of Islam.
I came back with a new vision and mission for my life after meeting Maulana and the CPS team. I studied Maulana’s commentary of the Quran in Urdu and English, Aurat Memar-e-Insaniyat, Muhammad, A Prophet for All Humanity, Calling People to God, and God Arises and many more.
I noticed how the team members were self-motivated and were busy in their own activities of Quran distribution. I was also advised by Maulana to listen to his lectures and closely work with the CPS USA team for the Quran distribution in America. I discovered my purpose of life to educate myself to deeper understanding of God and prepare for Quran distribution.
As I was changing my mindset and thinking, I felt I developed positive relationship with my children and my relatives. I ensured that I was starting with a clean slate by forgetting and forgiving and making peace with all.
How did Maulana help you to connect with God and understand His Creation Plan?
Maulana’s books and his Sunday lectures from 2009-2021 helped me with my discovery of God. My angle of vision changed, I saw how it affected me to look at nature with different eyes. Every experience, every event could be a point of reference to discover God. His explanation of creation plan helped me understand the concept of test in the pre death period, free-will, the positive aspect of suffering, and the concept of developing God-oriented personality by tapping in hidden potential and so on. I learned that a great women in history (Hajirah) was a great dayee and missionary leader and I could also follow her footsteps.
How did Maulana influence you?
After meeting Maulana and observing his simple lifestyle and his focused yet fiercely learning spirit, I was convinced it was possible to live in the mission of introducing the message of the Quran. This would keep me inspired as long as I would avoid distractions. Kindly share the most inspiring teaching of Maulana. Khuda Tu Kab Ayeye Ga? Mein Tera Kab Tak Intizaar Karon,
Oh God! When will you reveal yourself to me? How long should I wait for you?
These words of Maulana represented his internal promptings of “need” and great “yearnings” to feel and sense his Creator around him. These yearnings became his true guidance to discover God as he studied Quran and nature along with many other writers. He raised himself from the material to spiritual level and deconditioned his mind from all types of negativities and shaped himself to be a positive person. This transformation helped him to be a deserving candidate who was ready to receive God’s attention and guidance from every corner of his life.
What inspired you to devote yourself wholly to the mission?
It was an organic transformation for me to dedicate myself to this mission as my true calling. I was journeying through my own discovery of God. After acknowledging all the bounties I had been receiving for my existence unilaterally through my Creator, I felt it would be highly ungrateful of me to ignore my duty of sharing the light of God with anyone who is in the state of unawareness.
What are the activities of Quran distribution that CPS USA is involved in?
I have been actively involved in interfaith activities with Christians and Jews. I regularly visit churches and synagogues. I get involved in multicultural activities where I meet Hindus, Sikhs, and other communities. We plan for bookfairs, interfaith conventions and also visit schools to introduce the message of Islam and distribute Quran and books on the subject of peace.
I have been mailing Quran to the people of all faiths in America and answer their emails in case they have any questions. Kindly share some responses of people to whom you give copies of the Quran.
We get thank you messages daily from people who are interested in reading Quran. I am mentioning here some of these responses:
Erin Parent: I am very thankful to receive a copy of my Almighty’s Holy Quran. You have no idea how much I am grateful to you!!
Phillip Pope: I teach a leadership course every summer where I distribute religious texts as part of our study. We use one main text each year to explore the unique culture and practice of that faith in an attempt to foster a better understanding based on education. If at all possible, I would appreciate 100 copies to distribute to the entire class. If that is not possible, I would be thankful to you for any assistance you could provide. I have 64 students signed up for this year’s class.
Jesse Perman: I greatly appreciate for a copy of Quran and it continues to enlighten my mind. Thank you for all the work you are doing to help connect people to the wisdom of God!
Stacy Fredieu: Hi, I am the Warden at the Angelina County Jail in Lufkin, Texas. Can you please send 100 paperback Quran? We’ll keep in our library for all the inmates at the Angelina County Jail who are requesting them and intend to study. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Vanessa Lopez: Thank you so much for offering this, I’ve always been interested in reading the Quran, even willing to learn the language to read whatever original material I can get my hands on. You’ve really made a dream come true. I appreciate and respect your culture very much. Thank you again & sending you all the wonderful & healing & loving vibes to you always!
What are some of the activities of CPS Ladies group in the USA?
Initially Zeba and I started study circles with core CPS members in 2016. We still host the study circle on Friday nights. Zeba was already teaching Maulana’s commentary of the Quran and Quranic Wisdom to women and youth. She asked me to start my own study circles. I learned from her and started with two women and a couple of children and praise be to God it grew.
• 4 times a week—Women study circles of Maulana’s commentary of
the Quran and other books
• 2 times a week—Study circles with teens and children ages 6-12
• Once a month—intermittent sharing of scriptures with seekers
from interfaith community
• Twice a month—Interfaith meetings on Zoom
• Once a month— Civic meeting with multicultural group
• Gifts sharing on Christmas, Thanksgiving, Eid and Ramadan. The
gifts contain candies and copy of Quran.
What inspiration do you draw from Prof Farida Khanam?
Prof Farida Khanam’s lifelong work shows she is indeed an intellectual partner of Maulana Sahib, she has dedicated 100% of her creativity and intellect as a creative writer of numerous books. She has organized the CPS mission, she is a living example of a woman who is humbled to her core. I felt she is giving me a message that when a woman is truly inspired for God’s mission, God makes her a super woman whose work can exceed all. She is indeed my inspiration.
What is your message to the women members of CPS in particular?
I would like to address my sisters from the CPS mission directly. Sisters! The mission of introducing the Word of God to people is our mission. It suits our nature. It is a special blessing, a source of life and source of all goodness. God Almighty has empowered us to assist our generation towards knowledge and wisdom through this mission. Since it is interwoven in our nature, it becomes a very easy task.
What are your future plans?
Introducing the Word of God is my responsibility. The plans revolve around looking at myself, not at others for the task. I have to strive and measure my own progress through daily discoveries. I should train myself constantly and learn new things. I have a long way to go as I need to be consistent.
What do you think is the legacy of Maulana Wahiduddin Khan? How can we strive to take it forward?
Maulana’s legacy includes intellectual discovery of God, positive thinking, discovering the positive role of the Prophet Muhammad, proving the average person’s relevance to the task of calling people to God's mission, presenting the true Islam from its original sources in the modern idiom and showing its relevance to the present world, and establishing the fact that Islam is a religion of peace.
Maulana discovered the new role of Muslims. We need to study his books and let’s not stop there. We must study the writings of the scholars of different faiths who are specialist in their area of social sciences and religion and then expand this work. There are huge challenges as the society is changing fast, we must be aware of the new challenges and able to learn new ideas to strengthen our activities of calling people to God. We need to learn to present Islam in modern times and address the minds of the seekers by our presentation and delivery of Quran and peace material by enrolling in technical, media/ communications. We should be able to present the peaceful message of Islam as explained through the CPS mission in such a way that addresses the recipient successfully.
Also, just like Maulana trained us as dayee, and empowered us, we must also train others to become dayee. For this, we must be able to humble ourselves, and able to understand their difference of opinion and be able to adopt their views if they are better than us.
Peace is essential for a better way of living—peace of mind, peace in the family and peace in nature.